Hi everyone, as the title says...I fancied (still do) a 335 style guitar.
The mij tokai is a little too high priced for me though (not in a band, just a lounge' player).The mic ues looked good to me, so i ordered a cherr red one.
Set-up wise, i only know how to basic tune one, fit strings etc. so had a friend who's done set ups etc.been in bands all his life etc. be there when it arrived.
I asked the shop about playability & they said it would be setup to play out of the box'
This is what happened-we opened it up and what a lovely guitar! the finish/construction looked great! went to play it & the bottom strings were laying on the neck & buzzing/choking (can't remember the exact terms my friend used)...sighting down the neck, the bow was very big(the relief) & the action was already high.Most of the relief was after the 10th fret-then my friend told me to listen carefully, and apparently the intonation was out & it was playing sharp, the problem then being that the saddles were already right back on adjustment & if the neck was (or could be) adjust near straight the intonation would be worse!
then when i ran finger down back of neck there was a slight indentation/dent' around the 12th fret area...friend couldn't say wether that was a defect or a playability feature.Sorry for long post but thought it might help someone.I wasn't expecting a rolls royce for ford money
thanks, yann

The ES60s are brilliant guitars, I know because I've had dozens of them and dozens of the Japanese models as well.

The guitar you're talking about needed a setup, that's it...the music store should have set it up before you played it.
It's traveled halfway across the world in a ship through different weather/humidity conditions.

Almost every MIC Tokai I get needs a little neck relief added.
Action needs to be taken down a little, nut slots needs to be cut slightly lower.
The factory setup on the one you tried has obviously been screwed up by the weather or the tech in the music store.
Truss rod needs to be tightened, action taken down, set intonation and you'll have a killer 335._________________Keep the legend alive, buy new Tokais!

Hi mr.diamond-my post was just a 'heads up' about possible pitfalls of buying a guitar unseen.
this one had more than a little relief added! (if u mean a concave bow).
I would guess about 5mm!!
we were reluctant to undertake truss rod adjustment for a few reasons...
it was brand new and I had specifically requested it to be set up & was assured it was done & would play 'out of the box' (as I said in my op)
also (as I said in my op)..the saddles on bottom strings were 'right back'
and it was sharp on the intonation..if I tightened truss rod, wouldn't that raise the neck & worsen that situation? i.e. worsen the situation?
also in my op I mentioned the undulation' at the back of the neck?...have any of the dozens u have played had this?
thanks for your input & hope this helps someone who is considering a purchase. yann

I would appreciate it if mr. diamond could tell me (and forum viewers), if of the dozens of es60s he has had, have felt uniform' at the back of the neck when running finger from headstock to body at approx. 12th fret ?? as in, is there an indentation?
believe me, I would got to a local dealer & do it myself, but there aren't any!
no guitar tech but keen guitar man, yann

Well, I now own one-cherry red and bought from 'the little guitar shop' in Birmingham.
Great shop to deal with, they had about 5 in stock and i explained how i would like it set up-they were very helpful-the owner, Martin obviously knows his stuff & is good to deal with.
He had mine ready when i arrived but invited me to try two other red ones to compare...(i didn't) ...it has a straight neck, intonation right...plays really well (though i have to get used to 'medium jumbo' frets....
if i work out how to post pics here from my pc i will do it! (any help appreciated)
hth-yann